The New Jersey Devils were reminded of the margin for error a potent offense provides a franchise goalie on Thursday night.
For the New York Islanders, the search for consistent offense to support Ilya Sorokin continues.
Sorokin will likely be in net Saturday night in Elmont, N.Y., when the Islanders host the Devils and new franchise goalie Connor Hellebuyck in the second clash of the season between the longtime Metropolitan Division rivals.
Both teams were off Friday after playing at home Thursday night. The Devils squandered a three-goal third-period lead before Jesper Bratt scored 1:26 into overtime to give New Jersey a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. The Islanders overcame a pair of deficits before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-3.
The five-goal outburst for the Devils marked the fifth time this season they’ve scored at least five goals, including three times in the past five outings. New Jersey entered Friday tied for ninth in the NHL with 56 goals.
The win Thursday also improved New Jersey to 2-3-0 when facing at least 30 shots. The 32 shots faced were a season high for Hellebuyck, who allowed three goals in a span of just 3:08 late in the third Thursday before improving to 4-0-0 since being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23.
The Devils are 5-1-0 overall since the blockbuster trade. Jake Allen, who shared goaltending duties with Nico Daws before the latter went to Winnipeg in the Hellebuyck deal, faced 45 shots in the lone defeat, a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 28.
“We’re giving up 30-something shots, which isn’t like us,” said right winger Anthony Mantha, who scored twice Thursday. “And he stood up for us.”
Sorokin, who sat Thursday night in favor of Semyon Varlamov, owns a .911 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average. But the Islanders, without Mathew Barzal (left knee), entered Friday with 42 goals, fifth-fewest in the NHL. They have scored three goals or fewer in six of Sorokin’s 10 starts and 10 times in 15 games overall.
Barzal, who led or shared the team lead in scoring seven times in the previous nine seasons, began skating with teammates this week but remains without a timetable for his return.
The Islanders’ struggles are magnified on the power play, where they ranked 29th at 14.6% entering Friday. New York was 0-for-4 on the power play for a second straight game Thursday and is 3-for-32 on the power play over the last 10 games.
Sorokin previously ranked in the top 10 in the NHL in save percentage and goals against average during the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. The Islanders ranked 21st, 22nd and 22nd in goals scored in those respective seasons, while finishing 20th, 12th and 30th on the power play.
“We’ve got to get a power play goal,” Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said Thursday, when New York overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits but never took the lead. “Tonight that probably change the game, if we find a way to stick one in.”
